Men allegedly use rope, Buick to drag a bull

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AUBURN, Wash. -- Two men are under arrest for using a rope and a Buick to drag a bull along a King County road Sunday afternoon.

Several 911 calls came flooding in around 4:30 from witnesses reporting a 1989 Buick Century was "dragging a cow with a rope" in the 4200 block of S. Star Lake Road near Auburn, said Sgt. John Urquhart with the King County Sheriff's Department.

When deputies arrived, they found the car with a rope around the bull's neck and tied around the car's window frame. The bull was lying flat on its stomach, with all four legs bloodied and spread outward.

Jonas Arnbrister

Witnesses reported the bull was obviously in distress, strongly resisting as it was pulled down the street causing hoof and leg injuries, until it collapsed where deputies found it, Urquhart said.

The driver, 75-year-old Jonas Arnbrister, and 57-year-old passenger Terrance Neff told deputies they were moving the bull to another pasture and they always used the car-dragging method because "he is stubborn."

The passenger said the bull wasn't hurt and told the deputy, "You have to be like that with cows."

Urquhart says the bull finally stood up, obviously in pain, and was moved to a grassy shoulder.

Terrance Neff

Investigators determined based on the drag marks, the bull was dragged for about a half mile. They found one streak of blood stretched nearly 20 feet.

The bull was given pain medication and turned over to the Washington State Animal Response Team for safekeeping.

Both men were booked into the King County Jail for investigation of first-degree animal cruelty. Neff is being held on $15,000 bail while Arnbrister is being held on $10,000. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.